The Mutagen Bomb Story: Part 3
by MewtwoSaki
Summary: The multi-verse is in great shape. Ch'rell continues to spread his reign his terror on the Mutated earth, while a new threat emerges in the battered warzones of Dimension X. It is now up to the turtles, Mira and some new allies to put a stop to this menance, once and for all. Sequel to "Codename Unstoppable" and "The Mutagen Bomb Story: Part 2". Set in the 2012 Universe.
1. Chapter 1

_Year: 2067_

_Location: Dimension X _

"Till we meet again, Maximus." These are the words that Ch'rell spoke to Leonardo as he, Kako Naso and Duke Acurades used their brand new Dimensional Teleporter to transport themselves to another Dimension for the first time in more than 50 years.

But this wasn't just any Dimension, for it held a very special place in the hearts of the three evil Utroms, if that's what you would call their organs.

"Home, at last." Ch'rell said as he looked around, admiring the pink sky and the familiarity of the landscape.

He and the other two Utroms looked around in utter glee, having longed for this place for so long.

"You did it Master Ch'rell, I never thought we would see this place again." Kako Naso said in response to his superior with a look of gratefulness, placing the robotic hand of his android body upon Ch'rell's android shoulders.

"Yes my son. I never thought we would be able to get this far, but through our ingenuity, we were able to break the Dimensional barrier once more. Not even the hardships of the Mutated earth could stop us!" Ch'rell said in response to his loyal Utrom.

"These particular lands seem familiar." Duke Acurades said as he observed his surroundings, taking particular note of the seemingly worn-looking landscape that had seen days of war in the past.

"You're right, comrade." Ch'rell said in response as he began closely looking everywhere as well. "Infact, if our thoughts are correct, then we should we able to stumble upon it if we keep on treading towards the southwest."

The three evil Utroms navigated their way through the familiar landscape and sure enough, they saw the extremely old ruins of a giant fortress.

The technodrome.

"Remember those stories that Kraang Prime told us about this place? Even before we were created?" Duke Acurades said as the three Utroms slowly entered the fortress, looking in awe at all the ruins that managed to just barely avoid rotting away from the passage of time.

"Yes, I remember it well." Ch'rell said in response to his subordinate as he began to have to have a flashback. "Infact, I feel like I am witnessing the events of the past once more."

_This same exact location, thousands of years in the past._

"It was in this very same technodrome, that our master's plans were foiled for the very first time. It was shortly after he got rid of the Triceraton homeworld."

_Kraang Prime sat there inside the technodrome, his giant body covering a significant amount of the fortress' interior. _

_He seemed to be well pleased with himself, for many of his plans had already succeeded at this point. The Triceraton homeworld had already been reduced to ashes, the Kraang army seemed to be stronger than ever, and the now-perfect Mutagen Bomb was now ready to be deployed across many planets._

_Now, all that Kraang Prime needed to do was get rid of the Utrom resistance, and then there would be no one else to stand in his way._

_Or so he thought._

"_Ambush!" One of the Kraang-droids yelled as the Kraang force began to be attacked from all sides by a large Salamandrian army, which surrounded Kraang Prime's technodrome in large numbers._

_Kraang-Prime was taken aback by the sheer scale._

_He did not recall the Salamandrian army ever being large, for this particular army that was attacking his forces was not from the present time period._

_Rather, they came from thousands of years in the future, and they were not alone._

"_Its those time travelling turtles that Subprime told me about!" Kraang Prime thought to himself, as he saw them fight alongside the Salamandrian army, with their eyes being fixed on the Mutagen Bomb that was not too far from Kraang Prime's location in the technodrome._

"_Keep them distracted Mikey! I will go and deal with the Mutagen bomb!" Donatello shouted as he began to make his way through many Kraang-droids, eventually managing to reach the perfected Mutagen bomb which was well guarded._

_It took quite a bit of fighting, but with the help of the Salamandrian army, Donatello was able to get his hands on the bomb, beginning to put his work into it in order to retard its development by atleast a thousand years._

"_No! You will not touch that bomb!" Kraang-Prime roared at the top of his lungs, as he made his way towards Donatello at an extra-ordinarily high speed which did not match his huge and bulky appearance._

_However, Kraang-Prime's charge was short-lived, for many Salamandrians were immediately storming him from all sides, inflicting multiple stab wounds from their daggers and firing their laser weapons into his thick hide._

_Kraang-Prime may have been one tough specimen, but he was by no means invincible. _

_Protecting the Mutagen Bomb may have been Kraang-Prime's most important goal at this point in time, but the giant Utrom could only think of survival when he was being attacked from all directions, with time seeming to slow down to a crawl._

"_Are you done yet, D!" Michelangelo yelled as he continued to hold off multiple Kraang-droids with all of his strength._

"_Hold on, almost there!" Donatello said response, as he continued to interfere with the formula of the Mutagen Bomb with an immense amount of pressure upon his shoulders._

_And with one last push, Donatello had finally managed to do it. _

_The Mutagen Bomb was now no longer perfect, and multiple planets were spared the fate of becoming Dimension-X like landscapes for at least a few thousand years._

_With the Salamandrian army having eliminated a large portion of the Kraang army that defended the technodrome, all seemed lost for Kraang-Prime, who was just barely holding onto his life after having sustained multiple injuries._

_It seemed inevitable that the two turtles whom he had never seen before, and all the remaining Salamndrians would focus on ending Kraang-Prime's life, once and for all, since their work with the Mutagen Bomb was done._

_However, this was not to be case, seeing as how Kraang-Prime managed to survive thousands of years into the future._

"_Michelangelo! Donatello!" A figure cried out to them as he made his way towards the two turtles._

"_Sal Commander!" Michelangelo said in response, expressing surprise at his facial expressions which were filled with worry, something that was not usual for the otherwise stone faced reptile._

"_We have to go now! Leonardo, Raphael and Bishop are in huge danger!" Sal Commander exclaimed, immediately then turning around as the rest of his army began following him._

_Michelangelo and Donatello looked at each other for a second, and they instantly knew what they needed to do._

_Kraang Prime may have been a high-value target, but the lives of their brothers were much more important._

_Then not a second later, all traces of enemy forces were gone from the area, and Kraang Prime could take a moment to breathe deeply, both in pain from his battle scars but also in relief from still being in one piece, despite all of his surrounding Kraang droids being utterly destroyed._

_It was not long before many Kraang reinforcements then came into the area, having heard the news of their master being in trouble._

_Kraang Prime was then immediately tended to by many Kraang-droids, lessening his pain, but remaining just as anxious from the encounter that he had just gone through._

_It was only the the timely arrival of Kraang Prime's most trusted ally, that soothed the giant Utrom's worries for a brief moment._

"_Subprime, I am glad to see that you are not too hurt." Kraang-Prime said softly as he looked at Subprime's body, still relatively healthy looking despite having been through a vicious battle just moments before._

"_I'm sorry master, I failed you. Those time travelling turtles rescued Bishop." Subprime said in response to his superior, with an expression of regret. "When everything was about to go right for us."_

"_Do not despair, Subprime. You tried your best." Kraang Prime said to him in a soothing tone, something that was not the usual for the otherwise ruthless Utrom. "But we now know that we have many more enemies than what we initially thought. The Kraang must start working on their greatest plan immediately, the plan even greater than the plan of the Mutagen Bomb."_

"_You don't mean?" Kraang Subprime said in response to his master, having a look of surprise on his face._

"_Yes, I do. Gather the Kraang immediately, it is time that we begin our work on our most deadly weapon." Kraang Prime said in a commanding tone, to which Subprime immediately complied._

"It was in these exact chambers, where we were conceived. We have none other than Kraang Prime to thank for our lives." Ch'rell said to his fellow Utroms as he looked at the old and worn down chambers, thinking of the events that had transpired within this very room more than a millennia ago.

"_Are they ready yet?" Kraang-Subprime asked his master, standing next to him in the test chamber room, with the bodies of four Utroms being held inside pods that were covered in various fluids to sustain them._

"_Yes, now you may release them." Kraang Prime said in response to his subordinate, looking eager and excited to see the fruits of his labour, which had undergone experiment after experiment to reach the perfected state which it was in right now._

_And with that command, Kraang-Subprime finally released the four Utroms from their pods, giving them a taste of the Dimension X atmosphere for the very first time._

_All four Utroms slowly opened their eyes, observing their surroundings with the utmost curiosity._

_One of them looked straight at Kraang-Prime, being the first one of the four to speak._

"_Where am I? Who are you?" The red Utrom asked Kraang-Prime in a tone of confusion._

"_Do not worry, Ch'rell. I will explain everything you need to know." Kraang-Prime said in response to the newly created Utrom with a smile on his face. "You are here for a very special reason, and we Kraang are your family."_

Ch'rell in the present day then began to feel homely and a sense of longing for the Utrom whom he essentially saw as his father, as he remembered that everything that Kraang-Prime told him in those very first moments of his life.

"_And now, you have learned everything you need to go, my precious little Utroms. You are destined to succeed me, and all of the ten dimensions will be yours for the ruling. Our legacies will live on through each other forever, and we will make the Utrom race great once more." Kraang-Prime said in a tone of pride and accomplishment, as he looked at his four creations._

_One of the four created Utroms, Ch'rell, then began to move towards Kraang Prime, bowing down before him with utmost respect, before finally speaking._

"_Mark my words Kraang Prime. I will do everything in my power to carry out your orders to the letter. From this moment on, I will call you and you alone, my master."_


	2. Chapter 2

"Kraang-Prime was the most fearless warrior I have ever seen. I was always there by his side, just out of reach from our enemies. Death came to Kraang-Prime's doorstep many times throughout his reign, but I was always there for him." Ch'rell thought to himself as he reflected back to the days of the past.

_Year: 2015_

"_And now the technodrome… Rises!" Kraang Prime exclaimed as his giant alien fortress began to emerge from the bottom of the ocean. _

_Indeed, it had been downed for quite a long time ever since the failed first invasion attempt by the Kraang on earth. _

_However, Kraang Prime's joy in regards to the technodrome rising was to be short-lived, for another threat was present in the area, ready to obliterate the Kraang at any cost._

"_The triceratons are powering up! We're toast! toaaast!" Kraang-Subprime exclaimed as he repeatedly bumped himself against Kraang-Prime in a panic, fearful that these were to be their last moments in life._

_However, just as the explosion hit the technodrome, a Scout Ship made its way to its core as quickly as it could. _

_Boarding this particular Scout Ship were none other than Ch'rell and his three Utrom partners, who immediately grabbed Kraang-Prime using the tentacles on the ship's underbelly._

_Despite the fact that Kraang-Prime was extra-ordinarily large, Ch'rell was determined to save his master from certain death at any cost._

_With all of their might, the three other evil Utroms made sure that the tentacles held on to Kraang-Prime tightly, while Ch'rell personally grabbed Kraang-Subprime and dragged him onto the Scout Ship, which flew away from the ferocious explosion just in time._

_With just inches to spare, all five Utroms onboard the Scout Ship then witnessed the explosion of epic proportions which almost claimed their lives._

_They all had a look of shock and awe, but they had to evacuate the area as soon as possible, for a great battle was already going on at this point in time in New York City, and all five Utroms were vastly outnumbered by the enemy._

_This was not the time for the Kraang to fight._

_Rather, what they needed to do at this point in time was re-assemble their army, and wait for another opportunity to strike._

"Kraang-Prime was always proud of me for my loyalty and could not thank me more for that day when I saved his life, but he still feared for my safety. My master wanted me to stay hidden, for he wanted me to stay out of harm's way. After all, I could not possibly the ten dimensions after his time would pass, if I was crippled in any way, shape or form. But his time came too soon, and I still get chills when thinking back to the events of that day." Ch'rell then thought to himself again.

_Year: 2017_

_Ch'rell and his three Utrom partners had just finished fighting off a number of Bishop's EPF soldiers, during the final battle that took place in New York City before the detonation of the Mutagen Bomb._

_Despite Kraang Prime's orders to the contrary, Ch'rell and his three companions made a bold and daring move by being out in the streets of New York, where they were vulnerable to being hurt by their enemies._

_This didn't deter three of the four Utroms in the slightest however, as their loyalty to Kraang Prime shone above all else._

"_That was close!" Torrinan exclaimed as he grew ever increasingly fearful of how close the skilled EPF soldiers had come to killing the four Utroms._

_It was only through Ch'rell's effective leadership, and the ferocity of three of the Utroms, that they were able to overcome such a large number of EPF soldiers in a short amount of time._

"_Shouldn't we go back to the Kraang headquarters? Kraang Prime told us not to expose ourselves here!" Torrinan then said to the other three Utroms , intent on escaping the situation as soon as possible._

"_Normally, I would never disobey my master, Torrinan." Ch'rell said in response as he turned towards the cowardly Utrom."But Kraang-Prime is in grave danger and needs our help, I can just sense it."_

_With that, the four evil Utroms then wandered through the streets of New York, until they came upon a grand sight in one of the city's wide open spaces._

_It was Kraang Prime, who destroyed an entire building which contained Donatello inside._

_Ch'rell and his evil Utrom companions watched the scene with nothing but pure delight, but like Kraang Prime's victory, their smiles were short lived, as the four Utroms then witnessed a sight so horrific that it never left their memories for the rest of their lives._

"_Noooo!" Ch'rell shouted at the top of his lungs as he witnessed Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo stab the life of Kraang-Prime in retaliation for the severe damage that he had just inflicted on Donatello._

_Nothing in the world felt more traumatizing to him, as the master who brought Ch'rell to life in this world was now dead, and that too after having suffered the worst kind of pain._

_Ch'rell, Kako Naso and Duke Acurades then charged towards the three turtles from a distance with the essence of pure rage and hatred that was so intense that it coursed through their very veins._

"_Die! Die! Die!"Ch'rell repeatedly shouted, as he and his two loyal Utrom partners charged straight for the turtles in their android bodies._

_Torrinan of course stayed behind in fear, but nothing more was to expected from the outlier of the group._

_Ch'rell and the two Utroms were too far away from the turtles to be heard by this point, not that it mattered anyway because the Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo were too busy tending to the injuries of the heavily injured Donatello._

_But Ch'rell and his Utrom partners would never get their opportunity to strike the turtles as they wished or even alert the turtles of their presence in the area , for a giant force came in between the two parties._

_Ch'rell, Kako Naso and Duke Acurades looked up into a sky, as a terrifying yet breath-taking structure rose into the sky, and detonated over the streets of New York City._

_It was the Mutagen Bomb._

_Soon, everyone in the area was engulfed by giant waves of Mutagen that were so vast, that they would eventually cover the entire planet._

"That was the worst day of my life. To watch my master die in such a painful way, but then to also have an imperfect Mutagen Bomb cover the earth. Everything that was planned out, my destined rule over a new earth was ruined. For that, I vowed that I would not rest until the turtles and their allies who were responsible for all of these actions were dead. Thankfully, two of the turtles were already killed by Bishop. Now that leaves two deal with." Ch'rell thought to himself one last time, as he snapped back into reality, ready to embark on his next mission.

_Back in present day._

_Mutated Earth: 2017_

Ch'rell and his two Utrom partners were once again roaming the deserts, after their recent trip to Dimension X.

All three of the Utroms were filled with glee, having come and gone from their homeland after such a long period of time that felt like forever.

"That was a real good trip. Wish we could've stayed there a little bit longer." Duke Acurades said as he thought of the fresh Dimension X atmosphere.

"Do not despair, my son. We will be there once again soon, to cause war and chaos." Ch'rell said in response to his subordinate. "But first, there is something I need to settle here on earth, to make sure that some loose ends are tied up."

Duke Acurades nodded in agreement with his master, as the three Utroms continued to make their way to an undisclosed location in the deserts, just outside of the Capital City ruled by Bishop.

The area was rather mountainous, with steep cliffs everywhere and a rocky terrain that provided plenty of cover for any potential bandits to hide in plain sight, ready to rob any passer bys.

Ch'rell looked around the area, sensing many presences.

He then called out.

"Foot Clan! Show yourselves! We know you are here!" Ch'rell shouted as his voice thundered throughout the valley.

Slowly but surely enough, many burly mutants emerged from the various hiding place, all having rugged black uniforms and faded insignias of their organisation printed onto them.

"How does this red alien know of us and what does we want?" One of the Foot mutants, a giant bull, inquired with scepticism as he approached Ch'rell, trying to look large and intimidating.

However, Ch'rell was not someone who could easily be frightened.

The defiant Utrom looked Groundchuck straight in the eye, not the least bit unnerved. "You fool, you do not recognize me, despite me looking the same. I remember you from all those years ago, even before you became a Mutant."

Groundchuck initially looked at Ch'rell in confusion, but that was soon about to end, as Groundchuck's closest friend suddenly had his eyes widen.

"No way!" The mole dirtbag, exclaimed as he remembered Ch'rell. "Groundchuck, its him! Don't you remember the one who made the deal with our master!?"

It took a few moments for Groundchuck to process his 50-year old memories, but then suddenly, he remembered it clear as day as his eyes widened with awe too, as he thought back to events of that day.

_Year 2017: Japan_

_Groundchuck and Dirtbag were just ordinary human Foot Soldiers, whom loyally stood by their master Shinigami, who was recently visiting various places in Japan in remembrance for the Shredder._

_She sat in a dojo, looking rather sad and lost._

_That was until, she had four visitors in cloaks._

"_Identify yourself!" Shinigami exclaimed as she saw one of the mysterious figures make his way towards her._

_She was about to order many of her Foot Ninja to attack, when the leader of the four mysterious figure spoke with such authority that everyone in the room, could not help but stop and listen._

"_I come here in peace, with an offer to help you avenge the Shredder." The figure spoke in a raspy tone as he removed his cloak. "My name is Ch'rell, and I am part of the Kraang." _

_The sight of him unnerved the Foot Soldiers, and they watched intently as Ch'rell and Shinigami conversed about the possibility of a new alliance._

_There were many points of discussion that went back and forth, before they reached an agreement._

"_Very well, I shall help provide you with the Kraang weapons and technology so that you may defeat your enemies one by one, starting with that dreaded Karai who took away your rightful father." Ch'rell said in a sadistic, yet happy tone. "Then, you will help the Kraang achieve their goals."_

"_It's a deal." Shinigami said with a smile on her face, as she shook hands with Ch'rell's android body, and all the Foot Soldiers in the room watched._

Back in the present day

"So, you're him." Groundchuck said calmly as he looked at Ch'rell, not taking his eyes of the Utrom who helped re-ignite so many of his memories.

"Yes, and like I made an offer with your master, I want to make an offer to you that you can't refuse." Ch'rell said in response, the usual evil smile on his face. "Help ensure that my plan succeeds, and I will provide you with the means with which you can destroy those turtles whom killed Shinigami's master, Oroku Saki, all those years ago."

Groundchuck and Dirtbag looked at each other, and then bowed down to Ch'rell, as did the rest of the Foot Mutants who were watching the entire conversation unfold.

"We will do anything for you Ch'rell, after all you did for our master in the past." Dirtbag said with utmost gratefulness, as he and the rest of the Foot Mutants continued bowing down to the three evil Utroms.

Ch'rell grinned.


	3. Chapter 3

_Location: Dimension X_

The sky was bright pink as usual, and the atmosphere was peaceful in one of the Dimension's more remote locations.

Here, a village resided, carrying what was perhaps one of the last Triceraton populations that had not yet been wiped out from war.

Not only that, but these Triceratons were unlike anything that had been seen from their bloody race in recent history.

Nevertheless, these more peaceful and reasonable Triceratons were still fierce warriors, for they knew that their peace could be interrupted at any time, for many dangerous beasts and savages lurked in every corner of the dimension, waiting to strike at the right opportunity.

One of the Triceratons who was ready to complete his training today was none other than the son of the stern yet honourable village chief, Commander Zarkav.

"Zantor my son, wake up." Zarkav said in a calm yet firm tone as he took a good look at the young Triceraton slowly rising from his bed. "It is your big day today, and we shall see if you have what it takes to join me In the army."

"Alright, lets do it! You just watch me prove myself!" Zantor exclaimed in response with utmost enthusiasm, as the young yet fully-grown Triceraton practically leaped out of his room, displaying a great deal of nimbleness and athleticism as he did so.

The father and son duo then emerged from within the house, to then be greeted by the entire village of Triceratons who were waiting outside.

"Best of luck, handsome." One of the female village elders said joyfully as she walked up to Zantor and gently patted his biceps.

"Eh, he won't need it. I know he's gonna pass the test without a problem." Another Triceraton added as he looked upon Zantor with pride. "I can already see his father's ferocity shine within him."

All of these compliments flattered Zantor, as he enjoyed the constant attention and praise of his entire tribe.

After all, a young and handsome male Triceraton was to hard to come across in today's day and age, when so many of them had already been wiped out, whether it was by their own undoing or other evil alien races.

"Lets go son." Commander Zarkav said in a rather serious and stern tone, as the entire village watched the father and son duo walk off into the wilderness, away from the comfort of home.

They walked across the beautiful Dimension X landscapes, which were untouched by any intelligent race.

The atmosphere was silent as ever, which gave General Zarkav a good opportunity to have an intimate conversation with his son, who was otherwise busy training during his time in the village.

"My son." Zarkav said as he looked off into the pink horizon.

"Yes, father?" Zantor said in response as he looked at the large and impressively built alpha male Triceraton by his side.

"You do know the purpose of all this training you have been doing, right?" Zarkav asked his son.

"Yes father, to protect our tribe, and carry on the legacy of the great Triceraton empire." Zantor said in response.

"And what about the other races here in Dimension X?" Zarkav asked.

"We must try and make peace with them. Do not fight them unless they fight us." Zantor said in response.

"Well done my son, you never fail to make me proud." Zarkav said in response, revealing a little smile on his otherwise stern face, before continuing to speak. " Our empire was founded upon these very principles. For many centuries, the Triceratons were prosperous and well-known as the greatest race until our leaders became corrupt. It was this very thing which led to most of our race being wiped out twice in history. Once by the Kraang and the second time by our friend, Professor Zayton Honeycutt, who almost sacrificed himself in saving the planet earth. Emperor Zanmaron may have called himself the rightful ruler of the Triceraton empire, but he was a cowardly traitor in reality, who preferred to hide behind his weapons of mass destruction. It is my dream that one day, the name of the great Triceraton empire will be cleared from those betrayers, and that we can be as great as the peacemakers who started our legacy."

"You are just as great as our earliest ancestors, father." Zantor said with a smile on his face as he gently put his hands on his Commander Zarkav's shoulder. "You did the right thing by leaving the empire before they were blown to pieces, while most Triceratons mocked us and stayed with the rest of the empire out of social pressure."

"I did not leave the empire, my son." Zarkav said as he looked into the Dimension X horizon once more. "It was the other Triceratons who abandoned the now forgotten principles of our great Empire."

Zantor then nodded in agreement with his father, as the Triceraton duo then reached an old obstacle course that had seen its fair share of Triceratons taking the test during the past.

Commander Zarkav looked upon the obstacle course comprised of various hazards such as sharp spikes, slippery surfaces and Dimension X wildlife with a smile on his face despite the sheer difficulty of completing it for newcomers.

"This place brings back memories." Zarkav said with a feeling of nostalgia and an expression of awe. "Me and my best friend, Zeno, both passed this course together before we served the Empire a long, long time ago."

"Just tell me when to go, and I'll clear this course like you've never seen before!" Zantor said in response to his father, trying to contain the sheer excitement and energy which had been building up inside of him due to having anticipated this day for quite some time.

"Hold, Hold." Commander Zarkav said as he watched his son get into a crouched position, ready to pounce at a moment's notice with all of his might. "Ok…. Go!"

And just like that, the young Triceraton warrior leapt into the obstacle course, dodging every hazard in his path with remarkable agility.

As he was in the midst of completing the course, Commander Zarkav watched upon his son with great pride, for his son had many trained for many years in preparation for this moment.

"Zantor my son, you are destined for great things." Commander Zarkav thought to himself as he continued to observe the nimble Triceraton warrior evade the blows of a giant Kraathatrogon that aggressively launched itself at him like a rocket, all as a part of the test. "If only your mother was here, perhaps she would be proud of you as well for what you have accomplished."

Commander Zarkav then thought back to his wife and Zantor's mother, Zera, who lived with the Triceraton father and son a long time ago, as one happy family whose hearts were loyal to the empire.

However, Zera left the family after the destruction of the Triceraton Homeworld at the hands of the Kraang, for the pain of it all was too much for the She-Triceraton to bear.

While Commander Zarkav and his son Zantor were always loyal to the roots of the Empire, it was in the opinion of Zera that the Empire itself was not worthy enough, hence its destruction.

Commander Zarkav was a mighty and sturdy Triceraton who was not easily phased by loss in life, but the loss of his wife was something that still troubled him to this day.

The great Triceraton warrior became so lost in his thoughts, that he failed to notice that his son had already cleared the obstacle course in a relatively short amount of time, and was standing right infront of him as a matter of fact with an eager expression.

"Father?" Zantor asked as his expression changed to one of concern for his parent.

"I'm sorry I missed you clearing that course. I was really looking forward to seeing you show me your mastery, but something has been troubling me recently." The great Triceraton Commander remarked as he looked down onto the floor with a look of sadness.

"Its mom isn't it?" Zantor asked his father.

"Yes. I wonder if she's still out there. Will she ever be back? Does she ever think about us?" Commander Zarkav asked his son, despite clearly knowing more than him.

"Father, look at me." Zantor said as he placed both of his hands on Commander Zarkav's shoulders, causing the older Triceraton to look directly into his son's eyes.

"I know she will be back with us one day. You know I never feel wrong, father." Zantor said with a smile on his face, as his eyes shined with glee and optimism.

Commander Zarkav still felt a bit sad, but could not help but smile back at the unbridled hope that his son exhibited.

It was this very attitude which made Zantor such a loved figure among his tribes-people.

"Thank you, my son." General Zarkav said a soft tone that no one except for his close relatives had ever heard him speak in before, while embracing his son in a long and quite hug that did not need words in order to be full of meaning and love.

However, the hug eventually came to an end when Zantor noticed something in the pink Dimension X sky.

It seemed to be some sort of fog, polluting the colour of the sky and turning it into a blood red hue, slowly but surely.

"Father, look at that!" Zantor said as he looked up into the sky, with his father following suit.

"We must get back to the village immediately!" Commander Zarkav exclaimed in response, with the two Triceratons quickly making their way back through the Dimension X wilderness.

Eventually, they managed to return to the Triceraton village, and thankfully, none of the Triceratons there had been hurt by the mysterious polluting agent.

However, the Triceraton villagers had taken notice of the sky being polluted and were just as concerned as the father and son duo about the potential severity of the situation.

"Commander Zarkav, the pollution seems to be emerging from the southwest. I don't think it could be any natural cause." One of the Triceraton soldiers reported to his master on the situation. "Do you think it might be a trap?"

"It is a possibility, but it would be foolish for us to be left in the dark about this." Commander Zarkav said in response. "Gather the other troops, and make sure a good number stay behind to protect the elders if need be."

"Affirmative." The Triceraton soldier said as he went on his way to fufill these instructions.

"You're coming with me son." Commander Zarkav said as the two Triceratons boarded one of their aircraft, along with many other Triceraton soldiers who had all volunteered to investigate the situation.


	4. Chapter 4

Commander Zarkav, his son Zantor and a number of other Triceratons came onboard their large Star Cruiser, flying across the now-red Dimension X skies in order to find the source of the mysterious pollution.

It came to the attention of Commander Zarkav that the pollution came from a rather far away settlement, the houses of which seemed eerily familiar to him in design and structure.

"What is this place?" Zarkav thought to himself as he looked upon the seemingly abandoned cluster of run-down houses that stared back at him, as if they were malicious in nature.

"Only one way to find out what these guys are up to." Zantor said to his father as he cocked his large assault weapon. "We have to go down there and investigate."

"No, my son." Zarkav said in response as he continued eyeing upon the mysterious city. "It could be dangerous. We must first verify whether there is an ambush waiting for us in around these parts."

Commander Zarkav then activated his radio, in order to get in touch with one of the other Star Cruisers that was investigating the ghostly city.

"Star Cruiser Two, do you see anyone around here?"

"Negative Commander, this place is dead. OH WAIT, CRAP!"

Commander Zarkav was left in confusion for a second at his soldier's sudden outburst, but was then immediately made to be aware as he saw a rocket fly through the air, barging straight into his Star Cruiser and causing the aircraft to completely spin out of control.

"All Star Cruisers, this is your Commander! Our Star Cruiser is going down! I repeat, we are going down! Request immediate assistance!" Zarkav shouted into his radio as he held on tightly to the insides of the aircraft, hoping that he was going to make it out of this crash alive.

Those hopes were going to be delayed however, as Zarkav then noticed that the Star Cruiser was already on fire, and would explode any second, killing everyone who was still inside.

Thinking quick, he then grabbed his son with his powerful arms, holding onto him tight while he jumped off the Star Cruiser, which then burst into a million pieces with only a couple of seconds to spare.

Fortunately, all of the other Triceratons onboard Zarkav's aircraft made the jump too, for the Triceraton soldiers were rugged and sturdy, having been trained many times over to be prepared for a situation like this.

The visions of both Commander Zarkav and his son then faded to black as they suffered unconscious from the great fall into the city, landing into nothing but rubble in the great wasteland of the city.

_A few minutes later _

Zarkav and Zantor both slowly woke up from their injury-induced coma, as they still felt disoriented from the great fall.

However, it would not be long before the Father and Son duo had no choice but to immediately come back to their senses in full force, for the firing of many shots in their direction caused the adrenaline to rush through the bodies of both Triceratons with ferocious intensity.

"Watch out!" One of Zarkav's loyal Triceraton soldiers shouted at the top of his lungs as he dodged fire from the alleyway in the condensed wasteland of a city.

Indeed, the Triceraton soldiers all managed to land close to each other, for they would have a much better chance of surviving this situation if they stuck together, and these particular Triceratons devoted all of their efforts in ensuring that their great leader and his son would not be harmed.

The loyal Triceraton soldier then turned towards both Zantor and Zarkav, relieved to see that both of the most high-ranking Triceratons in the army were still in good condition despite their horrific hall.

"My Lords, take these weapons!" The loyal Triceraton soldier shouted as he handed over the father and son Triceratons all the tools that they needed to fight this battle.

However, just before they could thank him, Zarkav and Zantor then saw the loyal Triceraton soldier get shot in the head by a stray bullet from off in the distance.

With no more time to lose, the Triceraton Father and Son then immediately began firing with their weapons, along with the handful of loyal Triceraton soldiers who had not yet been killed at this point.

"All Star Cruisers! Where are you?! We are heavily pinned down in the middle of this damn city!" Commander Zarkav then shouted into his radio, promptly firing at the mysterious enemies who fired back from the shadows in the alleyways in large numbers.

"Commander Zarkav, We cannot make it to your location, its too hot! I repeat, we are dodging rocket fire all over this damn area!" The loyal Triceraton soldier piloting one of the Star Cruisers exclaimed in response with utter panic in his voice. "You have no choice but to fight your way to a quieter area by your Southwest, we will all die if we try to make a landing near your location!"

"Ugh!" Zarkav loudly grunted with evident displeasure in his voice after turning off the radio.

But this was no time to complain, for the Triceraton Squad was slowly but surely decreasing in number, as more of the soldiers surrounding Zarkav and Zantor were eventually succumbing to their bullet induced wounds.

It was a matter of time before only the Father and Son Triceraton duo were the only ones left from the honourable Triceratons, and by this point, the chances of successfully making the escape towards the new evacuation point at the South West was nothing but a pipe dream.

Somehow though, both Zarkav and Zantor were completely unharmed during the drawn out firefight that had claimed the lives of their remaining squad.

This was accomapied with a sudden silence as there were no signs of enemy activity anywhere in the once hostile city.

The father and son Triceraton duo almost considered their unscathed condition and the opportunity to take a breath of relief as a miracle.

That was until they made a horrifying realization.

They were left alive by the enemy for a reason.

Slowly but surely, many figures emerged from among the shadows, encircling the father and son Triceraton duo.

There were far too many of them, and it was completely futile to offer any resistance.

"Well, well, well. Look at who decided to show up on our doorstep!" One of the hostile figures said with a smile on its face, as it emerged from the shadows, revealing itself to be a Triceraton.

Zarkav and Zantor both looked on in shock, as they did not expect to see any other Triceratons after the almost-complete extinction of their kind.

Truly, the father and son Triceraton duo thought that their own village was the very last of the Triceraton species.

"You killed your own kind, my soldiers! Why!?" Zarkav then growled at the hostile Triceratons while being restrained, all the while his anger overrided his rational thought which would've deterred him from speaking out when so badly outnumbered.

"Why? We have seen your village from afar, and we are ashamed of the disgraceful excuse of Triceratons who now live there." The enemy Triceraton said in response, mockingly. "Actually, we were just on the verge on showing up to your village and destroying it ourselves, but lo and behold, you have done us a great service by showing up here yourselves, because our leader would be greatly interested in meeting you and your Son after all these years."

"I will kill your leader as soon as I lay eyes on him!" Zarkav exclaimed in response, only to be immediately butted in the head by one of the enemy Triceraton's huge assault rifles.

This did not knock the Father Triceraton unconscious, but it hurt him severely as he was carried away into the inner layers of the city by all of the enemy Triceratons along with his son Zantor.

Zarkav looked at his son in his remorse, who looked back at him with an equally sad expression while being taken by their enemies to this mysterious leader.

Commander Zarkav just could not bear to see his son in such bad conditions, and he dreaded to think of what kind of torture the young and handsome Triceraton would go through when he would be presented to the leader of these evil Triceratons.

So with quick thinking, Zarkav then used all of his might to unleash one final assault, suddenly surprising his captors with this newfound explosive strength.

The father Triceraton then used all of his power and ferocity to power through his captors as he reached for Zantor, immediately striking down his son's captors like a wild beast.

This bought the young Triceraton enough time to make a run for it as his father wanted.

"My son! Go!" Zarkav roared at the top of his voice as Zantor wasted no time in scurrying out of the area.

The father Triceraton wasn't so lucky however, as he had completely exhausted himself, and many more evil Triceratons flooded the area in an instant, after having lost one of their hostages.

"You fools! The son got away!" One of the evil Triceratons exclaimed in frustration as he looked off into the distance. "Now lets take this one back to our leader before he gets away too!"

And with that, Zarkav was carried all the way back to a giant fortress in the middle of the city that was evidently the place were the evil Triceraton leader resided.

As he was slowly but surely carried to the throne room, Zarkav could not help but think of what kind of tortures awaited him.

After all, he had been deliberately left alive on purpose by the enemy.

Despite this however, Zarkav could at least take some comfort in the fact that his son was able to get away safely and would not suffer the same gruesome fate that was now at his father's doorstep.

When he was finally then brought into the throne room to meet the evil Triceraton leader, Zarkav indeed received a shock, but it wasn't the kind that he expected.

The Triceraton leader spoke in a very feminine yet familiar tone, as she looked at the impressive Zarkav, who lay on his knees with an expression of disbelief.

"Why, my handsome husband. What a pleasant surprise!" General Zera exclaimed with a distinctly rough tone. "This is a perfect time for us to get back together after all these years!"

The female Triceraton wore distinctive battle armour, reflecting her desire for conquest, and was lean and slender which made her a quick and nimble fighter, effective in close quarters combat.

"So, this is where you have been all this time, after you ran away like a coward from the empire." Zarkav said in a response in a low and somber tone, feeling disappointed that his own wife was up to no good.

"The empire deserved to die, for being so weak and pathetic." General Zera added as she turned away from her husband, towards her guards. "Lock him up for now, for I have business with a friend on planet earth. Lets see my husband talk when our son is brought to me, and takes my side over his."

And with that, the Triceraton guards took Zarkav to his jail cell, while General Zera used her own specialized communication device to send a signal across dimensions once her husband was out of the picture.

As if on cue, the line on the other side was connected, and General Zera spoke to her friend.

"I have good news, Ch'rell my friend. Your brainwashing gas has been spread throughout Dimension X, and now my team of scientists is helping develop your most desired weapon." The evil Triceraton spoke with pleasure in her voice.

Laughter was heard from the other end of the line.


	5. Chapter 5

_Location: Planet Earth_

Ch'rell, Kako Naso and Duke Acurades were inside an underground conference room in the middle of the desert, discussing their new plans for world domination.

"So, you really think that She-Triceraton will uphold her end of the bargain?" Kako Naso enquired, having seen his master Ch'rell just finish his recent communication with her.

"I do not think so my son, I know so." Ch'rell said with great confidence in his voice as he smiled. "General Zera may very well be ruthless, but she knows her place In this deal. If she turns against me, I will not only stop supplying her people with weapons, but also kill her with my own robotic hands. She is nothing without me."

"You know best, Master Ch'rell." Duke Acurades said in response to the leader of the evil Utroms. "So, what must be done now?"

"You two will build our army in Dimension X. I on the other hand have some very special plans for this planet."

Ch'rell said with delightful glee in his voice as he looked over to an ancient relic that they had just recovered from their recent expeditions.

It was the Kuro Kabuto helmet that was once worn by Oroku Saki, now much more damaged and horrific looking due to the stressors that it had endured for the past 50 years.

_Meanwhile_

A group of Foot soldiers began to assemble in the middle of the desert, being new recruits of the dreaded Ninja Clan.

They were mutants of all shapes and sizes, which were all eager to join the organization, for the Foot were rumoured to have been stronger than ever recently, and were planning something big in the upcoming hours.

"So, you chumps think you can make it big in our Clan, do ya?!" Groundchuck the large and hairy bull said as he looked at the various mutants with a look of mockery. "Let me warn you chumps, joining the Foot is not for the faint of heart!"

"I don't know about these fools, but I will show you just how much I thirst for the blood of our enemies." One of the mutants spoke in response with a deep and raspy voice. "Anything you tell me, I will carry out to the very last letter for the sake of our Clan."

It was a small Mutant rat, with dark fur and a deep voice that was both intimidating and impressive.

"Good." Groundchuck said in response as he looked closer at the small Mutant rat who spoke to him before with a look of admiration. "You were pretty good in our training, so I look forward to seeing ya in our next big operation. That is if you don't get killed by the enemy in the first few seconds."

"You just watch, I will survive and make it to the top of the honourable Foot Clan!" The mutant rat said in response with a tone of eagerness and enthusiasm. "I will bring Death to all those who stand against us!"

The mutant bull had a feeling at the back of his head that something about this particular rat was familiar, but couldn't quite place his finger on it.

In the end, Groundchuck then decided that he was probably only imagining things about the new recruit.

Nevertheless, Groundchuck then spoke again, addressing the group of new mutant recruits in a tone that was trying to be threatening:

"And just so you all know, there ain't any funny business that's gonna fly here in the Foot. If we ever think you're up to something against us, we're gonna chop your hands and legs off! You all got that!?"

"Yes sir!" The new Foot recruits all said in response, with some looking at the two senior mutants with fear, while others were more confident. "We are loyal to the Foot and the only Foot!"

"Come on Groundchuck old buddy, let's get these guys some weapons." The mutant bull's closest friend, Dirtbag said, as he made sure that he himself was fully armed for the upcoming mission. "It won't be long before the great operation starts."

Groundchuck then nodded in agreement, arming himself and the rest of the Foot squad in preparation for the upcoming attack.

_A few hours later_

Groundchuck, Dirtbag, and the new Foot recruits finally reached their intended target of the invasion.

It was Bishop's Capital City.

"This pathetic old city will be no trouble to conquer since that scum Bishop is now dead!." The mutant mole, Dirtbag, said to his fellow Foot mutants as they all began to march towards the city. "But you all still must be careful, and fight as if your life depends on it!"

"With pleasure." The mysterious mutant rat said in response as he cocked his assault rifle. "None of Bishop's supporters will live to see our triumph."

And with that, the squadron of Foot Mutants began their march into Bishop's Capital City.

"This city now belongs to the Foot!"Dirtbag roared into the skies, as the first gunshots were heard in the otherwise now dead-silent city. "Show absolutely no mercy!"

And soon as Dirtbag said those words, many shots were fired.

All of the Foot mutants took particular pleasure in firing upon the innocent habitants of the city who were lucky enough to survive the previous great battle that it had endured.

Some of the city's inhabitants did try and bear arms in order to fight back against the Foot Clan, but they were completely outclassed against the radical Foot Mutants.

"No! Please!" An innocent mutant habitant of the city screamed as she was dragged by Groundchuck out of her house which was already in a state of ruin. "Let me go!"

"Who would love to kill this little old lady?!" Groundchuck said with sadistic pleasure in his voice as he threw the innocent mutant at the Foot Clan recruits, who looked at her with a mix of sadism and shock. "Hurry, before I kill her myself!"

The Mutant rat was the first one to act, immediately taking the opportunity to shoot the innocent mutant dead with no sign of mercy in his eyes.

"Die you scum sucking animal!" The Mutant rat screamed as he was covered in blood from repeatedly stabbing the innocent mutant after she was shot dead. "You deserve everything you get, you Bishop supporter!"

"This one is really good, pal." Groundchuck said to Dirtbag quietly as they observed how bloodthirsty the Mutant Rat was, when compared to all of the other Foot recruits who were no slouches either. "Just wait till Master Ch'rell sees him in action.

"I know that he will be proud."

The mutant mole, Dirtbag said in response.

"You know Dirtbag old buddy, its real good to be on the winning side for once."

Groundchuck said as he gunned down various innocent mutants who were running away for their lives.

"Ain't that the truth?"

The giant mutant mole said in response as he hunted down any opposition.

Bishop may have been a savage hypocrite who lusted after power, but the majority of his city's inhabitants were still innocent mutants who only wanted to live a normal life to the extent that was possible in such a hostile world full of wild mutants.

Unfortunately, the innocent mutants of the city suffered the worst fates with no Earth Protection Force around to help them, now that they had been destroyed alongside Bishop by the Turtles and Mira.

For years and years, the Foot Clan had been barred from access to the city which they had desired to conquer for so long, to avenge their leader, Shinigami, who they thought had been killed at the hands of Bishop.

And just as Groundchuck and Dirtabg thought their winning streak couldn't be any more satisfying, they heard a powerful voice echo throughout the city, signalling that it was finally time to witness the Foot Clan's first triumph in an eternity.

"_Today is the day that we rise as one nation, after years of humiliation and suffering!"_

Groundchuck and Dirtbag were immediately hypnotized by the power of the words that had just echoed throughout the city, and like all of the other Foot mutants, flocked towards the source of the voice with utmost enthusiasm.

"_For years, we were oppressed by the tyrant Bishop, who killed our last leader in cold blood! However, today we will not only bring that scum to justice, but appoint a new leader of the Foot for the first time in more than Fifty years!"_

"Come on Groundchuck!" Dirtbag said to his fellow mutant as the two rushed towards the city's old arena where the great speech was being broadcast. "This is something we cannot miss!"

Previously used for gladiatorial battles to entertain the local citizens, the arena was now about to be used for a much more sinister purpose.

"_It is with great honour and your blessing that I, Ch'rell, will become the new Shredder, continuing the great legacy of our Foot Clan!"_

"Almost there!" Groundchuck said as the mutant duo finally made it to the grand arena, where they arrived just in time to witness a truly unforgettable sight. "Look at that!"

In the middle of the arena, stood Ch'rell, who had his android body modified to include samurai armour and blades by his fellow Utroms.

And to great applause from the crowd of Foot Mutants, Ch'rell then donned the Kuro Kabuto on his formerly headless android body, making him the official new leader of the clan.

"_My sons, bring out the body!" _

Ch'rell shouted into one of the arena's entrances as the entirety of the audience witnessed the other two Utroms carrying an android body covered in rags.

Inside the android body, lay none other than the corpse of Bishop.

"_And now, Bishop is finished!"_

Ch'rell exclaimed as the Foot Army erupted into another round of applause, followed by chanting.

"_Burn him! Burn him! Burn him!"_

And with that Ch'rell set the corpse and its android body of fire, watching with pure delight as it slowly but surely turned into ashes.

"Finally, after all these years!" Groundchuck exclaimed as he embraced Dirtbag with a hug, as the mutant duo were just as enamored by these moments. "We have won!"

"Indeed, Groundchuck old pal." Dirtbag said in response with tears of happiness in his eyes. "After this, we will show Master Shredder the new recruits we got, and he will be even more proud of us!"

And with that, Groundchuck and Dirtbag then waited until the celebrations were over.

And with that, the mutant duo ordered their squadron to regroup afterwards in order to have them inspected by Ch'rell.

They took note of all the recruits, noting that all of them were present, having surprised the takeover of the city.

All were present, but one.

"Where did that rat go?"

Groundchuck said in a tone of confusion as the absence of the most notable recruit was glaring.

"He must've been killed when we fought the city's mutants before."

Dirtbag said in response.

"And he was the best one of the bunch."

Groundchuck sighed, as he was especially looking forward to showing off that recruit to Ch'rell.

"Don't worry about him pal, we still have an entire army to ourselves."

Dirtbag then said in conclusion, as he and Groundchuck quickly moved on from their loss, awaiting new orders from the new Shredder.

_Meanwhile_

The mutant "rat" from before already made his way outside of the city, having evaded the eyes of the other Foot mutants who were too focused on the burning of Bishop and the unveiling of the new Shredder.

He travelled for quite a distance on foot, before finally coming across a large vehicle that was waiting for him.

From the vehicle, two large mutant turtles emerged, having been in cahoots with the "rat".

"Looks like your disguise worked, Mira." Raphael said as he helped the mutant Meerkat onboard, helping her remove the disguise which she had spent so much time preparing. "Did you manage to get a shot on Ch'rell?"

"No brother, there were too many of them with him." Mira said with a tone of disappointment in her voice as she slammed her fist against a table inside the vehicle. "I'm sorry I couldn't do it, I would've been killed with that many mutants around me."

"Its ok Mira." Leonardo said in a calm and collected tone. "What matters most is that you made it out alive, and you know a lot that can be useful to us."

"Yeah, I learned that the Foot Clan has gotten much bigger recently with that city as their new base of operations, and now Ch'rell has become the new Shredder." Mira said in response to her brothers. "We can't take out the whole army by ourselves."

"You're right Mira, we need new mutants on our side." Raphael added. "But how? Most of the Red Stripe Army was wiped out in our battle with Bishop."

"As a leader, you need to have a powerful persona to attract new followers." Leonardo said in response to his brother. "Ch'rell adopted the persona of the Shredder and gained the respect of the Foot. Now I too will bring back an old face, one even more feared than the Shredder in these deserts."

"You don't mean?"

Raphael asked his brother.

"Yes, I do Raph. The time has come for Maximus Kong to return."

Leonardo said as he looked at an old helmet stashed away in their new Shell-Raiser.


	6. Chapter 6

_Location: Dimension X_

General Zera sat in her throne room, talking to Ch'rell over her communication device over dimensions.

"Ch'rell my friend I'm glad to hear that your conquest of earth is going well." General Zera said with a tone of satisfaction in her voice as she learned of how Ch'rell and the Foot Clan conquered Bishop's Capital City with relative ease. "So, when can I expect my delivery of new weapons and tanks?"

"It will take a while General Zera, but rest assured that the wait is well worth it." Ch'rell said in response to the female Triceraton over the phone. "You deserve all the weapons you can get, after all the help you've been to me here in Dimension X, which I can't focus on because of this wretched planet earth."

"I look forward to receiving your new weapons, Ch'rell." General Zera said in conclusion to the evil Utrom, while noticing that her husband, Zarkav was being bought to her in chains by two evil Triceraton guards. "I will talk to you later. I have some other business to attend to."

As General Zera hung up her communication device, Zarkav was thrown to her feet by the evil Triceraton guards.

"Who was that you were talking to?"

Zarkav said to his wife, with a voice which had lost much of its strength due to having been locked up for many days and fed only the most barebones of rations.

"That's none of your business, my beloved." Zera said in response to her husband with a tone of sarcasm in her voice. "Just know that my tribe will be the most powerful race in all of Dimension X after we receive our new weapons, allowing us to crush every other tribe, including your pathetic excuse of a Triceraton village."

"You are no better than those wretched Kraang were, or that disgraceful emperor who caused our destruction! They all fell, and so will you!"

Zarkav exclaimed in response with growing fury in his voice, as he was enraged beyond belief to see his own wife engage in such dishonourable deeds.

But before he could speak any further, Zarkav was immediately kicked by Zera's guards in order to be silenced, and then repeatedly beaten until Zera told her guards to stop.

"You choose to be beneath me." Zera said to her husband as she looked down upon him with a mix of evil and sorrow. "If you stopped hanging on to weakness, you would be ruling Dimension X alongside me, and we would once again be together like the good old days."

"I will never re-unite with you now, after what you have become."

Zarkav then muttered under his breath, too weak to speak loudly after having been beaten up so badly.

"Guards,take him away!" Zera said with anger as she did expect her husband to be so stern. "Since he is no defiant, this Triceraton will remain locked away until our son is brought to me alive!"

And with that, Commander Zarkav was once again dragged away in chains to his jail cell, where he sat in silence, hoping that his son would be able to come and rescue him despite the overwhelming odds.

_Meanwhile_

The non-combative residents of the peaceful Triceraton village were now beginning to worry for their soldiers and leaders, for they had not returned in quite a long time.

Furthermore, the skies of Dimension X had completely changed in colour, being blood red as opposed to the soft pink that had practically defined the dimension for many thousands of years.

"Where could they be?" An elderly Triceraton muttered to his fellow villagers as a mass gathering of the Triceraton village had taken place. "We've had no word from any of their communication devices for hours, and they should've returned home by now!"

Suddenly however, the chatters of the panicked Triceraton were then cut short, for they saw a familiar figure approaching them from the horizon in the distance.

"Look, over there! It's Lord Zantor!"

One of the Triceraton villagers shouted out as she and a number of other able-bodied specimen quickly made their way towards the worn-out Zantor, who had been running for miles in order to escape the trail of the enemy.

"My Lord! What happened to you?!" One of the Triceraton villagers shouted in worry as he grabbed the now-exhausted Zantor, covered in scars and bruises from his previous confrontation. Where's your father!?"

"They took him."

Zantor muttered weakly as he collapsed, causing the Triceraton villagers to become frantic as they rushed him towards a Triceraton medical facility.

_A few hours later_

Zantor woke up on his bed, feeling disoriented as he shook the fatigue off of his body.

He looked around to see many of his fellow Triceraton villagers surrounding him, all with concerned but slightly relieved expressions due to the young Triceraton warrior being in relatively good health.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't save my father." Zantor said meekly as he slowly stretched his arms and legs, checking for any bruises. "There's no telling what they've done to him now."

"Who took him?"

One of the Triceraton village elders spoke as he looked upon Zantor with concern.

"Other Triceratons." Zantor said in response as he had a sad expression on his face. "So many years we've tried to clear our name, just for these psychos to come along and ruin it again."

"What must we do now, Lord Zantor?"

One of the other Triceratons spoke, as Zantor noticed that the entire collective was focused on him.

"Why are you asking me?" Zantor asked in confusion. "How should I know?"

"My Lord." The other Triceraton then said in response. "With your father gone, only you can lead us now."

"Me?" Zantor said as he looked rather nervous. "But I only just qualified as a soldier! How do you expect me to lead our entire army?!"

The other Triceraton, among many in the room, then placed his hand on Zantor's shoulders to re-assure.

"All your life, your father has trained you for this moment." The Triceraton said. "Now is the time that we as a village will be sure that you were destined to do great things, just as he foretold."

"No, I can't do it!" Zantor exclaimed with fear in his voice as he remembered the traumatic experience that landed him in the hospital bed in the first place. "Those Triceratons we fought, they have probably already killed him! Even stepping near that city is nothing short of suicide!"

"But my Lord…."

The other Triceraton spoke with sadness, as he was not pleased to see the once cheerful and proud Zantor acting so timid.

"I'm sorry, I need time to think."

Zantor said as he placed his hand over his head out of frustration.

"Very well my Lord. We still believe in you, but in the absence of your leadership, we will carry on the fight to bring your father's captors to justice."

The other Triceraton then spoke as he and the other Triceraton soldiers left to prepare for battle, leaving behind only the very young and the elderly to stay behind with Zantor in the village.

A few hours passed as Zantor continued to lie in bed, deep in contemplation about what to do.

"I can't do it. Why can't we just stay away from that horrible place?" I can't lose my entire village, not after my losing my parents who are probably both dead now."

However, Zantor's thoughts were then interrupted by the arrival of someone.

"Zantor, you have grown."

A robotic figure spoke as he entered into the room, having been permission due to his respectability among this Triceraton village.

"Fugitoid! I didn't expect you!"

Zantor said in a moment of temporary excitement as the two embraced for a brief while, as the young Triceraton respected Professor Zayton Honeycutt for his friendly relations with his father.

However, the joy of the re-union was short lived, for Zantor was quickly reminded as to why the Fugitoid came here in the first place.

"I heard about your Father." Fugitoid said to the young Triceraton warrior. "I'm sorry for your loss, that other Triceraton state is not a pretty place for your father to be."

"Well, we don't actually know if he is actually dead or not." Zantor said in response to the robot with a tone of sadness in his voice. "But he gave himself up to save me, I don't know if those evil Triceratons would spare him after he did that."

"Whatever the case may be with your father, you cannot afford to abandon him and leave him forgotten." Fugitoid then said to him as he placed his robotic hand on the young Triceraton warrior's shoulder. "You never had the chance to know what happened to your mother, but you can avoid that from happening again with your father."

"I can't disagree with you Fugitoid." Zantor said in response to the robotic being as he lowered his head out of despair. "I know I might not like what I find out about my father and what happened to him, but it's what he would've expected of me. He would never leave any stone unturned."

"Indeed, Zantor." Fugitoid said to Zantor in a tone of re-assurance as he continued. "I can't force you to act, but you must make a choice now. Your father's army is out there fighting a great danger, waiting to be led by you."

"I don't think this is going to well." Zantor said in response to the very intelligent scientist. "But you're right. I have to do this, for my father, and everything that our Glorious Triceraton Empire truly stands for."

"That's the spirit, my boy."

Fugitoid then said to the young triceraton warrior, with a tone of optimism and hope in his metallic voice.

"Then there's no time to lose." Zantor said as he slowly rose out of his bed, shaking off his fatigue and fear. "We must get there immediately."

Zantor immediately then began to run out into the open with newfound hope, before he looked behind himself to find the Fugitoid standing still, worriedly looking into a gadget that was attached to his robotic arm.

"Fugitoid, are you alright?" Zantor then said as he paced back towards his robotic friend. "What happened?"

"Oh no, this doesn't look good." Fugitoid said as he glanced towards radio frequencies that were being played back to him. "Listen to this, Zantor."

"What is it?"

Zantor then said in response to Fugitoid, as he approached him and observed what he was about to be shown.

"Before I came to you, I was flying in my Ulixes over the highly secretive Triceraton village to find out any intel about them." Fugitoid said to the young Triceraton warrior. " I couldn't get close for long, since the place is heavily guarded, but my Ulixes was able to pick up this line of communication from their radio for just a few seconds."

Zantor then leaned closer to Fugitoid's arm to listen to the radio communication that was played back to him:

"_Ch'rell my friend, I'm glad to hear that your conquest of earth is going well. So when can I expect my new delivery of weapons and tanks?"_

"That voice sounds familiar." Zantor said as he listened to the recording once again. "I wonder who this woman could be?"

"I have a feeling I've heard that voice somewhere too." Fugitoid said in response to the young Triceraton. "But I have a hard time recalling my eons-long memory. What we do know is that this leader of the Triceratons has a contact on the Planet Earth by the name of Ch'rell who is supplying her with all of that heavy weaponry."

"Whoever this Ch'rell is, he is definetly up to no good." Zantor said in response as he pondered on what to do next. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm already ahead of you, Zantor." Fugitoid then added. "I can take my Ulixes to Planet Earth to investigate Ch'rell and his operations."

"Do what you must." Zantor then said in response to the robot. "I will continue to lead the fight, here in Dimension X. I fear that all of this might be much bigger than we ever imagined."

"Perhaps it is."

Fugitoid then said as he got ready to board his Ulixes once again, with a new mission at hand:

"Good luck, Zantor."

"Good luck to you as well, Fugitoid."

And with that, Zantor then began to make his way towards the mysterious village once again after he watched Fugitoid depart in the Ulixes.

"I'm coming father, hold on tight."

Zantor thought to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

_Location: Planet Earth_

The Ulixes landed in the in the middle of a desert wasteland after a long journey, and Fugitoid got out of it, slowly taking a look around the area.

"Oh my, this planet looks worse than I thought it would." Fugitoid thought to himself as he held some sand in his metallic fingers while observing the surrounding landscape. "I do wonder if my turtle friends are still out there, or even alive for that matter."

With not a living thing in sight for mile, Fugitoid then sighed to himself, before getting back in the Ulixes to fly once again.

He then thought to himself:

"Neverthless, I must keep searching for this Ch'rell. The fate of this world, and many others could be in great peril."

_Meanwhile_

A figure sat in the middle of his office, listening to the radio to catch up on the news.

"_This is the daily news report with some breaking news regarding the neighbouring Earth Protection Force state. Reports from within the state's Capital City have informed us that the local government has been overthrown by the Foot Clan army under the notorious war criminal Ch'rell, who proclaims himself to be the organisation's new Shredder. Witnesses from within the city itself claim that It was only after an internal destabilization of the state, that a foreign army was able to invade what was otherwise thought to be an unbeatable superpower. These same witnesses claim that President Bishop was killed during the ensuing chaos. His body was last seen being burned and paraded through the streets of his own city by Foot Clan mutants who have sworn eternal loyalty to Ch'rell."_

The figure who listened to the news was a mutant, albeit not of any specific animal, but rather a giant green glob whose body bore the shape of a very large human.

Despite having a fully formed body however, this mutant was covered in battle armour from head to toe in order to protect his fragile insides which had only just recently been stabilized.

The mysterious figure then continued to listen to this particular news report, as it intrigued him:

"_Despite the situation being grim, there may be hope as we have been able to get an inside look into various resistance groups who have made it clear that they will not permit Ch'rell from causing further destabilization in the area. One such group is the Red Stripe Army, the leader of whom we've had the chance to interview today. Here is the message that he has in store for us."_

"Mutagen Master"

A mutant said as he entered the room in order to have a word with his boss, only to be then promptly cut off.

"Just give me a second, I cannot afford to miss this at any cost!"

The mutant in authority then continued to listen to the final piece of information espoused through the radio, the words of the Red Stripe Leader himself who had been broadcasting propaganda throughout the lands to recruit fighters for his cause:

"_I, the great Maximus Kong, have returned to serve mutant kind after hearing of this treachery! Ch'rell and the Foot Clan are a danger to us all, and they must be wiped out no matter what! Join the fight today and help us all!"_

The green glob mutant then turned off the radio, after the broadcast was finished.

"What is it, mutagen master?"

The other mutant in the command room spoke as he stood by its entrance, awaiting further instructions.

"This is big news my son." The figure of authority said in response as he looked down upon his desk, pondering the importance of the situation. "I never thought Ch'rell would grow to be this powerful again, but Maximus Kong has returned once more. Could Maximus really be one of them?"

"What do you mean, master?"

The subordinate mutant said as he was not entirely sure what was on his boss' mind.

"I will explain later, my son." Mutagen Master said in response as he stood. "We have to meet Maximus Kong right now. Gather the rest of the mutant soldiers, we are going on a mission now."

And with that, the green globbed Mutant man set out on a quest with his army, travelling for miles for a few hours until he finally reached what he believed to be the Red Stripe Army Base of Operations.

It was a large fortress with many mutants carefully eyeing at Mutagen Master's army from their guard towers, weapons firmly in hand.

"_Drop your weapons and Identify yourself if you wish to live! Maximus sees all!"_

A powerful voice echoed from within the fortress, enhanced by loudspeakers.

Mutagen Master then did as he was told, dropping his weaponry as he instructed the rest of his army to do so.

"If I think who I think you are, then you will recognize me as Timothy!" The Mutant Glob said as he shouted into the skies surrounding the fortress. "I am the leader of this army of mutants who once served you with utmost loyalty. I seek nothing but peace by putting an end to the reign of Ch'rell!"

By this time, the Red Stripe mutants guards will admittedly a little unnerved from seeing a giant army before them, even if they seemed to have no hostile intentions.

"You may come out master, but keep your guard." One of the Mutant guards then shouted back as he looked upon the army with a little bit of suspicion while holding his weapon firmly in hand.

And with that, the doors of the giant fortress slowly opened, revealing an army on the other side, holding their weapons with utmost precision as well as flags that bore the Red Stripe insignia.

The leader of the Red Stripe army, Maximus Kong, then slowly walked towards Timothy, while Raphael and Mira were by his side.

The unspoken tension between the two idle armies was high as both sides were expecting a sudden attack during this time, but an attack miraculously never happened in the otherwise conflict-laden area.

"I never thought I would ever see you in person." Timothy said as he carefully looked at Maximus Kong, recognizing the identity of the turtle underneath as well. "It's an honour to meet you, sir. May I call you by your personal name, Leonardo?"

Leonardo was then taken slightly aback, exchanging glances with Mira and Raphael before looking back at the Mutant Glob Man.

"How do you know of my real name?" Leonardo inquired, not immediately recognizing who was before him.

Raphael's memory however was sharper, and his eyes widened as he immediately recalled his memories with Timothy.

"Leo, it's him." Raphael said in response to his elder brother as he put his hand upon his shoulder with a smile upon his face. "Don't you remember our friend? We first knew him as the Pulverizer, and then Mutagen Man."

"Yes, I do remember him now." Leonardo then said after a while as he took a few moments to slowly navigate his long memory, before speaking to Timothy once more. "And I grant you permission to call me Leonardo."

"Thank you, oh honourable turtle." Timothy said in response as he got onto his knees. "But I must ask, where are yours brothers Donatello and Michelangelo?"

Leonardo sighed for a moment as he then put his hand on Timothy's slimy shoulder.

"I'm sorry to say, they are no longer with us."

Timothy then looked down onto the ground in sadness.

In his current state, the mutant glob man was unable to shed tears, but he was still very much grief stricken as he stood in silence for a few minutes, pondering upon his time in life with the two turtles.

"It was Ch'rell's fault wasn't it?"

Timothy said as he clenched his slimy fists in anger.

'Yes, he took away our brothers." Leonardo lied in response, but not in an ultimate sense as Ch'rell was very much a catalyst for all of the turtle's misfortunes up to this point. "He must be stopped."

"Yes, that is why I have come here today with this army that has rightfully always been yours."

Timothy then said as tensions between the two armies then finally ceased, with Timothy's army being granted permission by Leonardo to enter the fortress and seek shelter until battle.

_A few hours later_

The Red Stripe Army then took some down time, before they would be needed for battle once more.

Many mutants met each other during this time in the evening and made friends with each other, for the two armies were now united and serving under the Red Stripe name.

Being a leader figure, Timothy was granted permission to live in close proximity to Leonardo, Raphael and Mira, who were otherwise cut off from their army when it came to their personal lives.

"It's nice to finally meet you Timothy." Mira said as she shook hands with him with a smile on her face. "My brothers told me stories about you from all those years ago."

"I wasn't exactly the most likeable character back in those days." Timothy said in response as he chuckled to himself while eating his evening meal. "I do hope you can forgive me for my immaturity back then, Leo and Raph. Looking back, I shouldn't have caused all of that trouble that I did."

"All is forgiven, brother." Raphael said as he ate his meal. "You are one of us now."

"Thanks."

Timothy said with a smile on his face as he continued to eat.

"If you don't mind me asking, Timothy." Leonardo said as he focused on the glob mutant. "Where have you been all of these years?"

"I thought you'd ask." Timothy said in response as he diverted his attention towards the leader turtle. "After the Mutagen Bomb explosion, I was thankfully safe inside the lair for many years, thanks to Donatello choosing a good spot for to me rest before he left with Raphael. I remembering Don saying that it would take me approximately 70 years to unfreeze, but I guess that the changed conditions of this planet resulted that happening earlier. My mutation stabilised quickly too, and I spent many years wandering these deserts as a homeless traveller. It was only recently that I came across many of your troops, who were left leaderless after I heard that you went to Oasis. I then became their new leader, hoping I could find you again someday and wondering whether the mutant turtle Maximus Kong was actually one of you four guys. Turns out, Ch'rell escaping from the prison that I am in charge of would ultimately cause us to meet once again."

"Wow, that was quite an interesting story." Mira said as she was thoroughly intrigued. "You must be quite respected around these parts to have won the loyalty of an entire army."

"What I have today, is only because of the turtles." Timothy said in response to the Mutant Meerkat with gratitude in his voice "I wouldn't be here if weren't for all four of them, especially Donatello."

"I think we should rest now." Leonardo said as he looked out of his window into the horizon, seeing that the sun had all but set now. "We will have a big day tomorrow, finding Ch'rell won't be easy."

"Agreed."

Raphael said as he and everyone else then began to make preparations for sleep.

_Meanwhile, at the Foot Headquarters in the middle of the Capital City._

Groundchuck and Dirtbag were summoned to Bishop's former presidential palace, where Ch'rell now resided in his Shredder armour.

"Master Shredder, how may we help your majesty?" Groundchuck said as he bowed down before the evil Utrom.

"Gather the Foot, for we shall strike during the night." The Shredder said in response as he clenched his robotic fists. "While our enemies sleep, we shall make progress towards making this planet a better place to live. I promise both of you that planet earth will be bountiful and full of beauty once again."


	8. Chapter 8

"You two have one simple task." The Shredder spoke over the radio to his Foot minions, Groundchuck and Dirtbag, who were laying in wait in the Rocky Mountains, overlooking a giant fortress in the distance that was only barely illuminated by the night sky "You shall lead the Foot to assault the Red Stripe Army base, and make sure their blood of your enemies is spilled in the most painful ways possible."

"I can't wait to do my horns some decoratin with their insides!" Groundchuck said in response as he sharpened his long and sturdy horns against some Desert Rocks.

Groundchuck's partner though, was slightly more hesitant about the mission though, despite being equally as loyal.

"I don't doubt any of your orders Master Shredder." Dirtbag said over the radio as he continued to carefully observe the giant fortress. "But I must ask, will we be able to make it out in a piece with just a handful of guys on our side? Those toitles have an army bigger than ever, especially when they got old Globfather on their side."

"As long as you obey my commands to the letter and fight with all of your strength, I promise that you will make it out of this mission alive." The Shredder said over the radio in response to Dirt bag's query. "Even if you two were to die tonight, you would become heroes of the Foot Clan. But you two are needed more than ever for my great plans, and so I will not allow those vermin to take your lives."

"You know best, Master Shredder." Dirtbag then said as he then commented. "But I do know one thing. When we attack, we gonna wake the sleeping giant. Those toitles ain't gonna be one bit happy."

"That's exactly what you want to achieve, my precious mutant." The Shredder said in response over the radio to his henchman as he then continued. "When our enemies become blinded with rage, that's when they begin to make mistakes and lose sight of what matters."

"Understood, Master Shredder. We will carry out your orders to the letter." Dirtbag then said in conclusion as he and Groundchuck then proceeded to listen to the Shredder's final instructions.

"Good, now go out there and show those turtles what the Foot Clan is truly made of. I will regroup with you when I have some personal business taken care of." The Shredder said in his concluding statement as he then disconnected the radio communication.

"You heard the boss." Dirtbag said to his brother in arms, Groundchuck, as they approached the giant Red Stripe Army fortress that lay in the middle of desert.

Despite its size, the fortress was in such a remote location that it was well-hidden from its enemies.

Nevertheless, the Foot Clan had now found it after days of painstaking searching, and were ready to carry out their assault to the fullest.

"How shall we attack, Dirtbag old pal?" Groundchuck said to his best friend as they inspected their troops, who were all ready for battle.

"We could just send the Foot flyers to drop bombs over that massive thing, but I don't think the bombs will able to break through that thick armor." Dirtbag said in response as he eyed the awe-inspiring structure. "Surely a fortress that big will stand up to our explosives, not to mention give our position away."

"Meaning?" Groundchuck then added.

"That we must make our way inside it, making sure not to alert our enemies. Then, when the time is right, we attack from all directions." Dirtbag then said in response as he nodded at a couple of Foot Soldiers to join him and Groundchuck in the upcoming operation. "Everyone not in our uniform is an enemy, but remember to keep a special eye out for the Red Stripe leaders. Leonardo, Raphael, Mira and Mutagen Man."

"What about the rest of us?" One of the Foot Mutants inquired, being one of the many soldiers who were left behind, in order to keep the number of infiltrators small, thus making for a more effective stealth mission.

"Your time will come, my fellow comrades." Dirtbag then said in response. "Just be patient and rest yourselves for now, for all hell is going to break loose in a matter of hours."

"Understood, sir." The Foot Mutant then replied, as he and the other soldiers then took up defensive positions overlooking the fortress, ready to help when they would be needed.

And thus, Groundchuck, Dirtbag and just a handful of Foot Soldiers then made their way towards the Red Stripe Fortress.

The first obstacle was to get past the guards on the towers, overlooking the terrain in front of them.

"There's four of them, one per tower." Groundchuck said as he observed the number of guard tower posts. "How will we get up close without alerting them?"

"We'll have to take them out from a distance." Dirtbag then said in response as he went prone, taking out his large sniper rifle. "Foot, take up your positions on the other side of the fortress. We will split up and use our radios to communicate from this point forwards."

"Affirmative." One of the two Foot mutants said as they made their way away from Groundchuck and Dirtbag, taking up positions on each side of the Fortress that was directly in line of sight of the guard, albeit at a long enough distance as to not be seen.

"Okay Dirtbag, I am aiming at the guard on the right." Groundchuck said to his fellow mutant.

"Good, I am aiming at the one on the left." Dirtbag said in response as he carefully aimed down the scope of his sniper rifle. "Foot Soldiers, do you have an aim of your guards?"

"Affirmative." One of the Foot Soldiers replied over the radio.

"Do it." Dirtbag then said in response.

And just like that, the silenced sniper rifles of all four Foot Mutants shot each guard straight in the head, taking them out at the exact same time.

"Good, now hurry." Dirtbag then said over the radio as he finally got up from his prior prone position. "It won't be long before the bodies are discovered, we have to be inside before then."

The Foot Mutants then used their gear to slowly climb the thick wooden walls covering the fortress like lizards.

"How much time do you reckon they must've spent building this thing?" Groundchuck said to his fellow mutant over the radio as he slowly jumped over the giant wooden fence, dodging barbed fire and landing straight inside the fortress.

"Can't be long since those turtles are always on the run, but let me tell ya Groundchuck, they sure have all the minerals and manpower to make something this impressive in such a short time." Dirtbag then said in response over the radio, managing to make it through the giant wooden fence and barbed wire himself, before speaking again. "Foot soldiers, give me a status on your position."

"We have made it through the giant fence. Now slowly making it inside the steel perimeter." One of the Foot Mutants said in response over the radio.

"Good." Dirtbag then added. "Me and Groundchuck are also making our way indoors. Remember to be stealthy, we won't be able to shoot our way through the turtles, who are surely heavily protected and inside the deepest layers of this fortress."

"Got it sir. We'll let you know when we have found a high value target." One of the Foot Mutants then said one last time, before turning off his radio.

And with that, Dirtbag then carefully made his way through the building, room by room.

He may have been a mutant of a large stature, but his years of training in the Foot Clan ensured that he could perform a stealth mission with the utmost subtlety.

Many of the Red Stripe Soldiers were fast asleep as Dirtbag quietly passed through them, and those that weren't were quickly taken care of using a silenced gunshot to the head in order to ensure maximum effectiveness.

It wasn't long before Dirtbag was deep inside the fortress.

His chances off an escape in the event of things going wrong was getting smaller and smaller, but at the same time, he was getting closer to his most wanted targets.

Dirtbag then saw it, a staircase that led downstairs into an underground.

Surely this had to be it.

The position of the staircase was so cryptic that it could be none other than the room leading to the leaders of the Red Stripe Army themselves.

"Groundchuck, come in." Dirtbag spoke into the radio.

"Yes, my friend?" The mutant bull quietly said in response.

"I think I've found it." Dirtbag said as he slowly made his way under the staircase. "Make your way to the west of the fortress, on the lower levels towards my position. You should be able to find a staircase."

"I'm on it, and I'm informing the other Foot soldiers as well." Groundchuck said in response. "Be careful."

"Don't worry, I will be." Dirtbag then said before turning off his radio again.

He climbed down the lengthy set of stairs into a bunker that was dark and claustrophobic.

"This place smells of death." Dirtbag thought to himself as he entered the bunker, keeping his ears perked for any sounds of significance.

The mutant mole could've sworn that he heard demonic whispers in this dark and isolated set of rooms that were barely illuminated, and his head began to spin from the congested loneliness that he experienced.

But the loyal Foot Mutant knew that he had a mission, and could not let his clan down after getting so far.

Dirtbag then stumbled across a table where he saw a picture, along with many other notes relating to the running of the Red Stripe Army.

The photograph showcased 4 figures in a meeting during a secret meeting, dated 2017.

"Shinigami, Kraang Subprime and Kraang Prime and Ch'rell. The 4 planners of Codename Unstoppable." Dirtbag softly read to himself as he carefully observed the photograph.

Out of the four figures in the photograph, three of their faces were crossed out due to already being dead, and there was one message next to Ch'rell's dark and blurred silhouette:

"Kill him, at all costs."

Dirtbag's face became contorted with disgust as he thought of how the turtles were actively out for his master's head.

This strengthened the mutant mole's resolve even further to take them out before they could cause any harm to his dear leader.

Dirtbag then finally made it to a heavily guarded room that was surrounded by a handful of guards.

Quickly taking them out from a distance using his silenced pistol, Dirtbag then quietly opened the door that led to this room that was in the deepest part of the fortress.

There he saw four figures that were fast asleep.

Leonardo, Raphael, Timothy and Mira.

Dirtbag's heartbeat increased as his most wanted targets were right within his grasp.

He raised his silenced pistol towards Leonardo's head, his large hands slightly shaking from the adrenaline of it all.

"Goodbye, traitourous turtle." Dirtbag quietly muttered to himself as he pulled on the trigger.

No bullet came out.

Dirtbag's heart then skipped a beat as he looked at his pistol, which had run out of ammunition.

With a nervously shaking hand, he then began to reload his pistol, beginning to panic as the seconds began to pass as the chances of something going wrong increased.

And then, everything went to chaos.

"There he is! Intruder alert!" A voice shouted from outside of the room as Dirtbag froze in place from having been discovered by an additional bunch of Red Stripe guards who were on a search due to the discovery of the dead bodies from before.

This shouting of the guards then caused the Turtles, Timothy and Mira to wake up, all four of whom were startled by the presence of an assassin in their very room.

"Sayonara, turtle scum!" Dirtbag then shouted at the top of his lungs as he was just about to be surrounded by a multitude of mutants.

In what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few seconds, Dirtbag then immediately unloaded a grenade in the middle of the room, and then quickly dug his way under the floors in order to save himself from the explosion.

"Take cover!" Leonardo shouted at the top of his lungs as he, Raphael, Timothy and Mira immediately ran from the grenade, taking cover behind wooden furniture as a terrifying explosion went off, causing said furniture to break into a million pieces and injuring the group of four with many wooden splinters.

Many of the Red Stripe Mutants charging for Dirtbag were killed in the explosion, but the four leaders managed to survive by sheer luck due to having access to nearby cover, however meagre it may have been.

"Leo, you're hurt." Raphael muttered in a worried tone as he observed his elder brother, whose arms was covered in wooden splinters from the destroyed furniture. "Come on; let's get the medics to fix you up."

"No Raphael, there's no time!" Leonardo then snapped back in anger like a beast, looking towards the giant hole that had been dug by the recently Foot Mutant, too small for any other mutant but a mole to travel in at high speeds. "FILL THAT HOLE UP WITH TOXIC GAS! THAT FILTHY MOLE WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!"

_Meanwhile_

"Groundchuck, I have been compromised!" Dirtbag shouted over the radio as he continued racing his way towards the surface using his bare claws. "What is your status!?"

"My friend! I am already outside!" Groundchuck then shouted back in response over the radio as he was heard dodging cruel gunfire. "But they are onto us now and our two Foot Soldiers were killed inside the fortress! Meet me at our rendezvous point!"

"I am onto it!" Dirtbag then added as he continued digging towards the surface with the most effort he had ever put in, because the mutant mole knew that his life was on the line.

Just as he was about to make it to the surface after many long minutes of digging, the mutant mole then began to feel dizzy as a foul smell began to protrude into the long and drawn-out tunnel.

"Grounchuck old pal." Dirtbag whimpered into the radio as his voice became weaker and weaker from the toxic gas. "Help me. I can' t breathe."

"DON'T GIVE UP, BROTHER!" The mutant mole then roared in response over the radio. "You've almost made it! I can feel you digging right beneath us!"

Dirtbag then used the last of his energy to dig his way to the surface, where he collapsed just as he emerged onto the land.

"Dirtbag!" Groundchuck howled as he saw his friend emerge behind him, running towards him in an instant and holding him in his arms, trying to get him to breathe. "Medics! I need you all! NOW!"

Groundchuck then saw a group of Foot Medics then make their way towards him, immediately taking Dirtbag into their care as Groundchuck continued to carry on the fight that was going on outside the fortress.

The Mutant Bull and a large army of Foot Soldiers then began to fire at the Red Stripe Army in the distance, which was beginning to make its way outside of the fortress.

"Fire at those vermin with all your might!" Groundchuck shouted to his Foot Soldiers as they continued to take long-distance snipes at the incoming Red Stripe Army.

"There's too many of them sir!" One of the Foot Soldiers shouted at the top of his lungs as he was quickly getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies that were emerging from the fortress.

"Then bring out the Foot bombers! Full Kamikaze!" Groundchuck roared in response as he fired off a couple of rounds.

And with that, a huge number of Foot Soldiers arrived in fighter aircraft, ready to commit suicide if it meant a victory for their clan.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain." Groundchuck muttered to the young and naïve mutants as they gave him a salute, before manning their aircraft once more and flying straight into enemy lines.

Upon contact with surface, the explosives that were mounted on the Foot aircraft immediately detonated, killing hoardes of Red Stripe soldiers and leaving much destruction and ruin in their wake.

However, waves and waves of enemy soldiers continued to emerge from the fortress.

The Foot bombers simply weren't enough to wipe out the entire opposing army.

"Master Shredder, we are heavily outnumbered!" Groundchuck then roared into his radio as he oversaw the fresh reinforcements replacing those enemy soldiers who had just been killed by the Kamikazes. "Please, help us!"

"You called at the perfect time, my precious mutant." The Shredder's raspy and robotic voice echoed over the radio in return. "I have what I needed, and am coming your way."

Groundchuck then ended his radio communication, continuing the fight but also frequently looking over his shoulder in order to confirm the well-being of his closest comrade.

"Don't give up on me Dirtbag old pal!" Groundchuck shouted as he looked at the Mutant mole that was being tended to medics.

"I'm trying." Dirtbag then weakly muttered as he was repeatedly relapsing in and out of consciousness, having still been affected by the toxic gas.

By now, the Foot Clan was beginning to exhaust its reserves, slowly but surely running out of crucial supplies needed for their offensive such as ammunition and explosives.

The Red Stripe army on the other hand, was getting bigger and bigger to the horror of the Foot Mutants in the battlefield.

"Foot Clan, do not surrender at any cost! We would rather die tonight than capitulate to those cowards!" Groundchuck roared at the top of his lungs as he showed utmost fanaticism in the fight.

More and more Foot Kamikazes then began to make small dents into the incoming Red Stripe Army, and those Foot Mutants who ran out of bullets then charged forward with claws, fangs, sticks and stones.

Then suddenly, when all seemed lost, many trucks came to the scene, ready to escort the remaining Foot Mutants to safety.

"Groundchuck, Dirtbag! Get on!" The Shredder shouted from one of the trucks as he looked at them with a worried expression. "We don't have any time to spare!"

And with that, Groundchuck, Dirtbag and the remaining Foot Mutants got onboard the trucks, after firing one final round of rockets towards the Red Stripe Army in order to disorient them.

"Hold on my friend!" Groundchuck said to his dearest comrade, Dirtbag, as he held on to the mutant mole who was on the verge of life and death, even after the Foot medics tried everything they could.

And then, the Foot army escaped.

"No! They're getting away!" Leonardo shouted from a distance as he saw the enemy escort take place.

The turtle was too shocked at this moment to think of commanding his troops to chase them.

Leonardo then got onto his knees in defeat, slowly observing his surroundings.

There were dead bodies everywhere, some Foot Mutants but mostly Red Stripe Soldiers who had incurred extremely heavy losses from the battle.

"Leo!" Mira shouted as she ran up to him past the many corpses. "You can't stay out here in the open! There could still be assassins here!"

Leonardo was glad to see Mira still alive after all the chaos, but he couldn't speak in his humiliation.

"Come on, Leo. We have to regroup." Mira then said to the leader turtle as the two made their way back inside the fortress, along with the bulk of the Red Stripe Army.

There, Leonardo and Mira then re-grouped with Timothy and Raphael, who had also survived the battle.

Raphael and Timothy looked at Leonardo, whose face was full of gloom and emptiness.

Before any of the two could speak however, Leonardo immediately muttered in a soft but stern voice:

"We can't let this happen again. That mole was just a second away from killing us all. And we can't stay here much longer, because Ch'rell now knows where we are."

"What now, brother?" Raphael said in a concerned tone as he stood up with a slight limp.

The turtles, Mira and Timothy had survived the battle, but they were slightly injured and heavily traumatized.

"We will take the fight to The Capital City once more, and this time burn it down to the ground." Leonardo then said in conclusion. "Timothy, gather the troops, for we will finish Ch'rell tonight."

"I'm onto it, Leo." The mutant globman said in response as the group of four immediately made preparations.

_A few hours later, in the heart of the Capital City_

Dirtbag slowly opened his eyes, having made a gradual but full recovery from the toxic gas.

He was in a hospital bed, and in good condition.

But it wasn't his good health with surprised the mutant mole, for a figure of high authority was right beside him, overseeing his wellbeing.

"Master Shredder." Dirtbag softly muttered as he oversaw Ch'rell looking at him with a smile on his face.

"Did I not tell you that you would survive this mission?" The Shredder said as he stood, commanding an aura of authority and respect in the room.

"I'm sorry master; I failed to kill the turtles and their friends." Dirtbag said in response as he coughed a couple of times.

"For one mutant, you did remarkably well." The Shredder added. "Because of your efforts, our enemies have been damaged beyond repair."

As he finished his speech, the Shredder then took out a medal of distinction and bravery, placing it over the Mutant Mole who was overwhelmed with emotion.

"I can't believe this is happening." Dirtbag said with a voice that trembled from awe, wiping his tears as he relished in the glory of having been awarded by the supreme leader of the Foot Clan himself.

Dirtbag then calmed himself down, before taking a few deep breaths and then finally coming back to his usual self.

"May I ask you one thing master, if you don't mind?" The Mutant Mole then said.

"Of course, my precious mutant." The Shredder said in response as he listened carefully.

"What kind of business were you conducting before, while we were at battle?" Dirtbag asked his master.

"Why I'm glad you asked." The Shredder said in response. "You see, there was a special someone that I needed to find in order to help complete my Mutagen Bomb. For years, she has been hiding from us, thinking that we'd presume her dead. But I'm no fool. I know that she was been granted longetivity from all of the Kraang experiments performed upon her. Now she is in our hands."

"Who is she?" Dirtbag asked.

Before the Mutant mole's query could be answered however, Groundchuck came into the room with a human woman firmly in his grasp.

"You finally woke up Dirtbag old pal! You had me worried there!" Groundchuck exclaimed in excitement as he dragged the captive woman towards The Shredder.

"A human." Dirtbag muttered with shock as he observed the woman who looked to be in her 50s.

This was the first time that the mutant mole had seen a human being in atleast 50 years.

"I won't submit to your experiments! I refuse to be a part of your sick and twisted plan, Ch'rell!" The woman cried out in defiance as she struggled to free herself, but to no avail.

"Your words mean nothing to me, Mrs. O Neil." The Shredder then said in response, not being the least bothered by the woman's cries.

"What shall we do now, master? The Red Stripe Army has already begun their pre-invasion as their choppers have begun attacking our city." Groundchuck then added. "The beast has now been fully awoken, and it's only a matter of time before their whole army is on our doorstep."

"Send this woman to Dimension X for further instructions." The Shredder then said in response, sharpening his claws as he gazed outside the window into the horizon.


End file.
